Toasted Almond Biscotti

Almond Biscotti are classic and traditional Italian cookies that are crisp, crunchy and great to fill a holiday cookie platter. They can be quite gourmet when dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with fancy sugars. Biscotti are perfect for dunking in coffee or hot chocolate since they are less sweet than typically drop cookies and have a firm crunchy texture that softens beautifully yet holds up nicely after dunking. These toasted almond biscotti have lots of flavor from deeply roasted almonds, orange, almond extract and dark chocolate. You can even make them without butter in the very traditional cantucci style - see my tips below to learn how to make this variation. If you love biscotti, check out my Double Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti too!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy to make - this recipe is so simple to make with a bowl and whisk. There is no mixer required.
• Tender and crisp - this biscotti won't break your teeth. They have a pleasant crisp and crunchy texture.
• Can be adapted to no fat - you can omit the butter in the recipe to make traditional cantucci. They will be firmer in texture, but they are still nice to dunk in coffee or hot chocolate.
• Long shelf life - biscotti last for weeks in an airtight container so you can make them ahead for the holidays.
• Great for gifting - you can dip these in chocolate and package them up for beautiful edible gifts.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE ALMOND BISCOTTI

This recipe combines ingredients that just belong together. This combination is divine. Of course you can use any other type of nut, and I would suggest pistachios or hazelnuts. You can also substitute dried cranberries for figs or apricots.

• Butter - since there is so little butter, you can use salted or unsalted and it wont make a difference.
• Dark chocolate - make sure to use dark chocolate for the best experience. I wouldn't recommend milk chocolate because it can burn during the second bake.
• Almonds - if you roast your almonds before you put them in the cookie dough, you get bonus points! It will elevate the flavor so much.
• Dried cranberries - these are optional but just imagine how delicious is this combination with almonds, orange and chocolate?
• Orange zest - you could also use lemon zest.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• STEP 2). Blend wet ingredients. Combine eggs, sugar and orange zest in a medium bowl and whisk vigorously until thickened and lightened in color like custard. Whisk in melted butter and almond extract.
• STEP 4). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until most of the flour is absorbed.
• STEP 5). Add the nuts and things. Add the chocolate chips and almonds and fold them through to distribute evenly. The dough will be a bit sticky.
• STEP 6). Shape the dough. Divide dough in half and place it onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, gently roll each portion into an 11 to 12-inch log and then transfer the logs onto the prepared baking sheet spacing them about 3 inches apart. Flatten logs with your hands so that they are about 2½ inches wide and ¾-inch high.
• STEP 7). Brush & Bake. Brush flattened logs lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes so that the cookie logs no longer feel soft and are firm enough to slice neatly. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• STEP 8). Slice and bake again. Use a sharp serrated knife to slice logs diagonally into ½-inch pieces and place them back onto the baking sheet so they are standing right-side-up. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until dry and crisp. Let cool completely before dipping in melted dark chocolate. Serve with espresso!

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Let it cool - It is important to ensure the log is cool enough that it is set, otherwise when you try to slice it the log will squish. Also, the nuts are soft while warm and are more difficult to saw through neatly. Once cooled, they will take to the knife better. I suggest waiting at least 20 minutes before slicing.
• Use a low temperature for the second bake - I always lower my oven to around 300 degrees F for the second bake because we just want to dry them out slightly. They should turn slightly golden but shouldn't get too brown at this stage.
• Don't over work the dough - just gently fold in the mix-ins at the end and don't mix the dough too much or it will get too sticky.
• Avoid adding more flour - the dough will feel quite soft, but just let it sit to firm up a bit before going in with more flour. Just use floured hands to help shape it into a log. The right amount of flour will ensure these cookies stay light and crisp rather than hard and dense.

RECIPE FAQ

Craving more cookies?

If you love cookies as much as I do, check out the latest recipes:

Christmas cookies

Here are some more festive cookie recipes:

Video

Toasted Almond Biscotti

Christina Marsigliese, Food Scientist MSc.

Tender and crisp biscotti! They're perfectly sweet and infused with orange, plus almond and dark chocolate chips. Perfect for the holidays!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

  

• 1 ¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (120g) dark chocolate chips
• ¾ cup (100g) whole toasted almonds
• ¼ cup (40g) dried cranberries (optional)
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• zest of one large navel orange
• ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
• ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg, well beaten for brushing
• coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

 

• First toast the almonds. Place them in a dry frying pan over medium heat and cook while shaking the pan frequently until they darken in color and smell fragrant. Some of the almonds should start to split and pop and crackle when they are ready. Transfer them to a tray to cool completely.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine eggs, sugar, orange zest and almond extract in a medium bowl and whisk vigorously until thickened and lightened in color like custard. Whisk in melted butter.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until most of the flour is absorbed. Then, add the toasted almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries (if you choose to use them) and fold them through to distribute evenly. The dough will be a bit stiff and sticky.
• Divide dough in half and place it onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, gently roll each portion into an 11 to 12-inch log and then transfer the logs onto the prepared baking sheet spacing them about 3 inches apart. Flatten logs with your hands so that they are about 2½ inches wide and ¾-inch high.
• Brush flattened logs lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes so that the cookie logs no longer feel soft and are firm enough to slice neatly. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Use a sharp serrated knife to slice logs diagonally into ½-inch pieces and place them back onto the baking sheet so they are laying flat on one side. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until dry and crisp. You can flip them halfway through this baking time if desired. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with a cup of coffee or espresso!